More than 300 Indiana (Pa.) Regional Medical Center nurses went on strike on Nov. 26, according to a KDKA report.
Nurses walked off the job at 7 a.m., despite hospital leaders previously asking them to cancel the strike due to the $1.5 million in estimated costs to hire temporary workers.
Nurses initially scheduled a one-day strike. But hospital leaders have said striking nurses who don’t report to work Nov. 26 won’t be able to return to work for an additional four days because of a minimum five-day commitment required to hire temporary staff.
According to the report, no scheduled surgeries and appointments were canceled due to the strike.
The hospital has been in negotiations with the Indiana Registered Nurses Association, which represents about 380 nurses at the hospital. Health insurance costs and wages reportedly have been key sticking points in the negotiations.
Both sides are scheduled to return to the bargaining table Nov. 29.
HENRY KOTULA 